The U.S. will stop issuing visas to Colombian citizens following the Colombian government’s refusal to accept two deportation flights. The U.S. Embassy in Colombia informed local media that visa issuance in the country will be suspended for an indefinite period as a diplomatic crisis unfolds between the two nations over migration issues.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the “highest level of the Colombian government” initially approved a deportation flight back to Colombia. However, citing allegations of mistreatment of deportees, President Gustavo Petro reportedly blocked the flight.
UPDATE: US to Resume Visa Issuance for Colombians
US stops visa issuance in Colombia as President Petro rejects deportation flight
“A migrant is not a criminal and must be treated with the dignity that every human being deserves. That’s why I ordered the return of U.S. military planes carrying Colombian migrants,” declared President Petro on his X.com account.
“I cannot allow migrants to remain in a country that does not want them; however, if that country sends them back, it must do so with dignity and respect—for them and for our country. We will receive our compatriots in civilian planes, without treating them like criminals. Colombia demands respect,” he emphasized. He added, “Colombia and Latin America’s dignity comes first. Migrants are human beings and bearers of rights, and they must be treated accordingly.”
Related: Colombia’s Petro to Send Presidential Plane for Migrants Deported from US
As President Trump assumed office last Monday, his administration launched a highly publicized deportation campaign targeting irregular migrants in the U.S., most of whom are from Latin America. According to Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, the first phase of the operation focuses on “the worst of the worst”—irregular migrants with criminal records both in and outside the U.S.
Following the announcement of the visa suspension, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia stated that “additional retaliatory measures will soon be implemented,” signaling the onset of a diplomatic crisis between the two nations.
The measures in question have sparked what appears to be a trade war between Colombia and the United States. So far, Trump and Petro have declared 25% and possibly 50% tariffs on imported products, respectively.
As a response, President Petro addressed the issue of U.S. citizens living irregularly in Colombia. “There are 15,660 Americans living irregularly in Colombia. They should approach our immigration services to regularize their status,” he said.
The president however tempered his remarks by adding, “American citizens who wish to stay in Colombia are welcome. I believe in human freedom. You will never see me burning an American flag or carrying out a raid to send irregular migrants back to the U.S. in handcuffs. True libertarians will never attack human freedom. We are the opposite of Nazis.”
US-Colombia diplomatic crisis unfolds
The coming months are likely to be highly tense between Colombia and the U.S. Colombia’s first left-wing administration coincides with Trump’s second term, during which he has prioritized immigration issues.
As Trump revives the Monroe Doctrine with interests in Greenland, the Panama Canal, a tariff war with Mexico, and the renegotiation of foreign aid, his vision clashes with President Petro’s aspiration for an autonomous Latin America, independent of U.S. influence and with a strong stance on migrants’ rights. The U.S. have already suspended all the activites of USAID to the country, as well as its immigration offices and refugee program, and imposed a travel ban to Colombian government officials.
As the diplomatic crisis unfolds, President Petro called for a regional response to U.S. deportation policies, advocating for “the union of the South.”
“As president of CELAC this year, I ask the current president of CELAC, Iris Xiomara Castro, to convene an extraordinary assembly of Latin American presidents to examine migration issues and the new dynamics of the drug market in the Americas. If we are not wanted in the North, the South must unite,” he said.
The president also emphasized the importance of continued dialogue between Colombia and the U.S. regarding the situation in the Darien Gap. “I hope the dialogue on the Darien Gap does not freeze. If there is no pathway to regularization, illegal activity will only increase. We saw this happen when the U.S. blocked Venezuela and triggered a migration crisis,” he said.
Barely a week into Trump’s new term, this appears to be only the beginning of heightened tensions.
Related: Colombia’s Petro Message to Trump: I Won’t Kneel
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